Frederik Meijer
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{short description|American businessman}}
{{distinguish|Fred G. Meyer}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Frederik Meijer
| image = Frederik Gerhard Hendrik Meijer.jpg
| image_size =
| caption =
| birth_name = Frederik Gerhard Hendrik Meijer
| birth_date = December 7, 1919
| birth_place = Greenville, Michigan, US
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2011|11|25|1919|12|7}}
| death_place = Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.
| education =
| alma mater =
| occupation = Businessman
| title = Chairman, Meijer
| term =
| predecessor =
| successor =
| known for =
| boards =
| father = Hendrik Meijer
| mother = Gezina Mantel
| spouse = {{marriage| Lena Rader| 1946}}
| children = Doug Meijer
Hank Meijer
Mark Meijer
| relations =
| website =
}}
Frederik Gerhard Hendrik "Fred" Meijer (December 7, 1919 – November 25, 2011) was an American billionaire businessman who was the chairman of the Meijer hypermarket chain, headquartered near his former hometown in Grand Rapids, Michigan.{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/frederik-gh-meijer/ |title=Frederik G.H. Meijer |website=Forbes.com |date= |access-date=March 24, 2017}}
Early life
Meijer was born in Greenville, Michigan, the son of Gezina Mantel and Hendrik Meijer, Dutch immigrants who had married in Greenville in 1912.{{cite web |url=https://www.learningtogive.org/resources/meijer-fred-and-lena |title=Meijer, Fred and Lena | Learning to Give |access-date=March 24, 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170325025046/https://www.learningtogive.org/resources/meijer-fred-and-lena |archive-date=March 25, 2017 }} In 1934, at age 14, he worked with his father Hendrik to found Meijer's North Side Grocery in Greenville.
Career
In 1962, he launched Meijer Thrifty Acres with his father and pioneered one-stop shopping. He inherited the company after the death of his father in 1964. In 1990, he handed over the company to his sons, Doug and Hank, although he remained the chairman of the board until his death.
As of September 2011, he was worth US$5 billion. He was the 60th richest person in the United States at the time of his death.{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/forbes-400/#p_7_s_arank_All%20industries_All%20states_All%20categories_ |title=Forbes 400 2016 |website=Forbes.com |date=September 28, 2016 |access-date=March 24, 2017}}
Personal life
In 1946, he married Lena Rader (1919–2022), the daughter of farmers, who had been a cashier in one of his stores. They had three sons, Doug, Hank and Mark Meijer.{{cite web|last=Carmichael |first=Michael |url=https://www.corpmagazine.com/features/cover-stories/meijer-at-75-lessons-from-a-family-that-has-learned-to-work-together-over-three-generations/ |title=Meijer at 75 – Lessons from a family that has learned to work together over three generations. – Corp! Magazine |website=Corpmagazine.com |date=August 20, 2009 |access-date=March 24, 2017}} His grandson Peter was the U.S. representative for Michigan's 3rd congressional district from 2021 to 2023.{{Cite news|title=Michigan Election Results: Third Congressional District|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|date=November 3, 2020 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/11/03/us/elections/results-michigan-house-district-3.html|access-date=November 4, 2020|issn=0362-4331}} Meijer died on November 25, 2011, at the Spectrum Health System in Grand Rapids, Michigan, after suffering a stroke in his Grand Rapids home.{{cite web|author=Ed Riojas Illustration |url=http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2011/11/west_michigan_grocery_magnate.html |title=Fred Meijer, West Michigan billionaire grocery magnate, dies at 91 |website=MLive.com |date=November 26, 2011 |access-date=March 24, 2017}}
His wife Lena died at 102 years old on January 15, 2022.{{Cite web|url=https://wtvbam.com/2022/01/16/wife-of-retail-giant-frederik-meijer-lena-meijer-dies-at-102/|title=Wife of retail giant Frederik Meijer, Lena Meijer dies at 102|first=Jerry|last=Malec}}
Legacy
File:Meijer Gardens October 2014 61 (Tropical Conservatory).jpg in Grand Rapids Charter Township, Michigan]]
Meijer helped establish the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park.{{cite web|url=http://www.meijergardens.org/about/ |title=About |publisher=Meijer Gardens |access-date=March 24, 2017}} An Honors College at Grand Valley State University is named for him.{{cite web|url=http://www.gvsu.edu/honor/ |title=Frederik Meijer Honors College – Grand Valley State University |website=Gvsu.edu |date=January 27, 2017 |access-date=March 24, 2017}} A Chair in Dutch culture at Calvin University is also named for him.{{cite web|url=https://calvin.edu/academics/departments-programs/dutch/frederik-meijer-chair/ |title=Frederik Meijer Chair – Dutch – Calvin College |access-date=June 28, 2017}} The Frederik Meijer Trail in Kent County, Michigan, and the Fred Meijer White Pine Trail State Park are named after him following donations by the Frederik and Lena Meijer Foundation.{{cite news |last1=King |first1=Kyla |last2=Wilson |first2=Rick |name-list-style= amp |title=Bike Trail Planned near South Beltline on Track |work=The Grand Rapids Press |date=December 6, 2006 |page=B1}}[http://www.michigandnr.com/parksandtrails/Details.aspx?id=508&type=SPRK Fred Meijer White Pine Trail State Park] Michigan Department of Natural Resources
References
{{Reflist}}
Further reading
- {{cite book |title=Just Call Me Fred: 101 Thoughts on People, Business and Life in General |last=Meijer |first=Fred |year=1998 |location=Grand Rapids |publisher=Meijer |oclc=40640126}}
- {{cite book |title=Fred Meijer: Stories of His Life |url=https://archive.org/details/fredmeijerstorie0000smit |url-access=registration |first1=Larry |last1=ten Harmsel |last2=Smith |first2=Bill |year=2009 |publisher=William B. Eerdmans Publishing |location=Grand Rapids |isbn=978-0-8028-6460-4 |oclc=262878972}}
{{Meijer}}
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Category:American billionaires
Category:American people of Dutch descent
Category:Businesspeople from Grand Rapids, Michigan